More people are turning to the internet to satisfy their retail itch, with online shopping figures on the rise.

But the retail industry is putting up a fight, with David Jones’ new Indooroopilly store hailed as the “next generation” in retail.

Joseph Cooney reports.

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Lord Mayor Graham Quirk and former Australian Miss Universe Rachel Finch helped open what David Jones calls its “next generation” retail store.

David Jones are offering an interactive experience with free wifi, and a mirror that’ll take a photo of you in your latest outfit. It’ll then send this to your friends for a second opinion.

Paul Zahra, David Jones CEO: “What you’ll see here at Indooroopilly, is it’s a combination, we’ve taken the best of the physical footprint, and combined it with digital technology to allow customers to experience both worlds.”

It’s part of a $450 million dollar refurbishment of the Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, which includes over a hundred new fashion retailers with almost five-thousand extra parking spaces.

For David Jones it’s a way of staying ahead of the Internet curve. Woolworths’ online sales doubled in the third quarter.

In spite of recent figures suggesting online shopping is on the rise, the general consensus is people still prefer to have that hands on experience.

Vox 1: “I’d be really upset if could only buy stuff online.”

Vox 2: “It’s nice to see all the brands I usually shop for online are actually in the store here. So I can actually see what they’re like in real life.”

But there’s a new retail giant about to muscle into the Brisbane market.

The US superstore Costco is to set open at North Lakes later this month.

Consumers will be able to choose from the country’s largest range of retail products.

Joseph Cooney, QUT News.